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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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HOW TO TEACH READING. 



Manual for the Use of Teachers. 



TO ACCOMPANY 



MONROE^S PRIMARY READING CHARTS 



AND 



MONROE'S NEW PRIMER. 



/ 

^ ' K MRS. L.'^B.'IVIONROE. 







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PHILADELPHIA: 
COWPERTHWAIT & CO. 

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TO 



ALL FAITHFUL TEACHERS WHO DESIRE TO GIVE TO 

CHILDHOOD EVERY ACCESSIBLE POINT OF 

VANTAGE-GROUND AT THE VERY 

OUTSET OF EDUCATION 

THIS LITTLE MANUAL 



IS 



EARNEST T.Y DEDICATED. 



Copyright, 1888. by 
COWPERTHWAIT & CO. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Self-reliance the true starting-point in education 5 

The necessity of arousing the mental faculties of children before anything 
like reading is attempted.— Hints for the same 6 

Chart 2 (page 9 in New Primer).— Lines and figures.— Suggestions for train- 
ing the eye and the hand 7 

Chart 3 (page 10, New Primer).— Counting-lesson.— Suggestions for bringing 
out pleasant qualities of voice 8 

The phonic method develops self-reliance 9 

Diagrams of the vocal organs in producing the sounds of m, n, a and a . . 10 

Blackboard work preliminary to Chart 4 11 

Chart 4 (page 11, New Primer).— Directions 12 

Chart 5 (page 12, New Primer).— Hints for preliminary conversation to 
awaken interest 13 

Chart 6 (page 13, New Primer).— Diagram— r.— Hints for helping children 
who have already learned the names of the letters 14 

Chart 7 (page 14, New Primer).— Diagram— s 15 

Hints for encouraging little ones.— Easy, natural tones of voice necessary to 
good reading 16 

Chart 8 (page 15, New Primer).— Diagram— li 17 

Chart 9 (page 16, New Primer).- Diagram— t 17 

Chart 10 (page 17, New Primer) 17 

Chart 11 (page 18, New Primer).— The reason for not using diacritical marks 
at this stage of reading 18 

Chart 12 (page 19, New Primer).— Diagram— f 19 

Chart 13 (page 20, New Primer) 19 

Hints for bringing out speaking qualities of voice 20 

Chart 14 (page 21, New Primer).— Diagram— p 20 

Chart 15 (page 22, New Primer).- Language-lesson in connection with the 
correct pronunciation of the articles 21 

Script.— How to teach it 22 

Chart 16 (page 23, New Primer).— The natural way of teaching the long and 
the short sound of i 23 

Chart 17 (page 24, New Primer).— Hints for bringing out sprightly tones of 
voice 24 

3 



Contents. 



PAGE 

Chart 18 (page 25, New Primer) 24 

Chart 19 (page 26, New Primer) 24 

Chart 20 (page 27, New Primer).— Difference between the sounds of d and t . 24 

Chart 21 (page 28, New Primer).— Difference between the sounds of b and p . 25 

Chart 22 (page 29, New Primer).— Diagram— 1 25 

Chart 23 (page 30, New Primer) 25 

Chart 24 (page 31, New Primer),- The natural way of teaching the long and 
the short sounds of e 25 

Chart 25 (pages 32, 33, New Primer) 26 

Chart 26 (page 34, New Primer) 26 

Chart 27 (page 35, New Primer).— Diagram— 1»' as a consonant 27 

Chart 28 (page 36, New Primer) 27 

Chart 29 (page 37, New Primer) 27 

Chart 30 (page 38, New Primer) 27 

Chart 32 (page 40, New Primer).— Words of two syllables 27 

Chart 33 (pages 41, 42, New Primer).— Hints for calling out the imagination 

without the aid of a picture 27 

Chart 35 (page 44, New Primer). — Difference between sounds of v and f . , . 28 

Chart 37 (page 46, New Primer).— You the same sound as u 28 

Chart 38 (page 47, New Primer) 28 

Chart 39 (page 48, New Primer).— Long and short sounds of vowels 29 

Chart 41 (page 50, New Primer).— Diagram— sli 29 

Chart 42 (page 51, New Primer).— Diagram— y as a consonant 29 

Chart 43 (page 52, New Primer).— Hints for teaching "by-sight" words ... 30 

Chart 44 (page 55. New Primer). — Monotonous reading 30 

Charts 45, 46 (pages 58, 59, New Primer).— Diagram— th . 30 

Chart 47 (page 60, New Primer).— The natural way of teaching long and 
shorty. ... . ......". 31 

Chart 50 (page 71, New Primer) 31 

Charts 51, 52 (pages 75, 76, New Primer) 31 

Chart 53 (Page 77, New Primer).- The initial letters of " by-sight " words . . 31 

Learning to write 32 

Concluding words 32 



HOW TO TEACH READING. 



SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS. 



TO the lover of childhood nothing- is more de- 
lightful than to teach little ones ''how to read;" 
but in order to ensure that success in teaching" 
which ^would give pleasure to the children and sat- 
isfaction to the teacher, one must call common 
sense to her aid and free herself from the old tra- 
ditions concerning- the first steps in reading. ISTo 
wonder the little ones hated to go to school, when 
they were expected to learn the whole alphabet 
before reading- a word! There is a surer and a 
better way. 

This little manual has been prepared hoping- that 
it will aid earnest teachers in making the first road 
to knowledg-e an easy, pleasant one. Especially does 
the writer hope that some assistance is herein g-iven 
wliereby teachers may clearly understand the very 
important diff'erence between the sounds of letters 
and their names ; for he who teaches by sight alone 
(or the word-method) not only robs the child of the 
advantage to be gained by learning through two of 
the senses instead of through one, but also fails to 
arouse in him that self-reliance in overcoming dif- 
ficulties which is the secret of true progress. 

Do not think that you can gain time by turning 
at once to Chart 4 (page 11 in New Primer). It would 
be an economy in the end if several weeks were 
spent in training the children to observe and com- 

5 



6 How to Teach Heading. 

pare forms "before anything like reading is attempt- 
ed. What should we say of a carpenter ^who com- 
menced a nice piece of work knowing that his tools 
were blunt? And yet most teachers expect little 
ones to learn to read without any mental prepara- 
tion whatever. One of the most successful primary 
teachers we have met— one whose children read 
and write remarkably well at the close of the first 
school-year— does not turn to Chart 4 until she has 
spent several months in training the eye and the 
hand as a basis for future work. 

"Why train the hand ?^^ do you ask, teacher? The 
answer is evident: what the child learns through 
two senses is more firmly fixed in his memory than 
what he learns through one. Develop sense of 
touch, therefore, as well as sense of sight. 

The teacher referred to gives her children beads 
to string, blocks to build, cards to sew, papers to 
cut and to weave, and in connection with each occu- 
pation she has interesting talks ivith the cliildreii 
— miniature object-lessons — which call out their 
thought and train them to observe, comxjare, and 
remember forms. She has a little store of china 
animals, pretty stones and shells, and many other 
things that interest children. She has a jar of gold- 
fish, another jar of tadpoles. There are flowers 
growing in the windows, pictures on the Avails, and 
there is a small aquarium filled with plants which 
the children helped the teacher to gather. It is 
needless to say that such a teacher establishes from 
the outset a sweet fellowship with her pupils which 
is rivaled only by the mother's love. 

It must be remembered, however, that the teach- 
er herself must converse in pleasant, sprightly 
tones, or she will not call out pleasing infiections in 
the children's voices. The faulty intonations of 
pupils in the high school may be the result of bad 
habits of voice acquired in the primary department. 
The ingenious teacher will think of many devices 
for inducing the children to talk with her, and to 
bring out sweet qualities in their voices. Let them 
tell what thev saw on their wav to school. Let them 



Hold to Teach Reading. 



describe objects in tlie room. Let them tell about 
their pets at home. 

To . recapitulate, then, the needs of the primary 
school, the following" points should receive atten- 
tion before anything* like reading is attempted: 

1. The children must be taug'ht to see and to 
remember forms. 

2. They must be taught to talk. 

3. They must learn to use the voice pleasantly, 

4. Their imagination must be called out. 

All these results can be attained by wide-awake 
object-lessons such as have already been sugg-ested. 

Children that have had preparation through oc- 
cupations and object-lessons will be ready to learn 
from 

Chart 2 (page 9 in New Primer). — Do not allow 
them to see at first all the lines and figures on this 
chart. The teacher should draw on the blackboard 
a horizontal and a vertical line; these are enough 
for one lesson. Do not use the terms "horizontal" 
and "vertical:" "up-and-down line" and "left-to- 
right line" are enough for the outset. Let the 
children point out the straight lines in the rooih— 
around the doors, the windows, etc. Give the chil- 
dren little sticks that thej^ may reproduce these 
lines on their desks. (These can be obtained at 
"school-supply" stores at a trifling cost, or the 
teacher herself can make them from matches, cut- 
ting off the brimstone ends. Bits of wire may be 
used for curves. ) Give only two sticks at first, and 
increase the number day by day. At the close of 
these lessons let the children invent little forms 
with their sticks and take turns in telling- what 
they have made. Perhaps one will say he has 
made a slate, another a window, another a kite, 
and so on. This exercise tends to call out the in^T 
agination and greatly interests the little ones. 

For another lesson the teacher should copy orj. 
the blackboard the first slanting" line. Ask the 
children if they find in the room any lines like it. 
Let them reproduce it with their sticks, and pro- 



8 Hoiv to Teach Reading. 



ceed as before. Anotlier day copy the next slanting 
line, and in this manner teach gradually all the lines 
and flg-ures. After a while the slate and pencil may 
he used in copying- them. 

In teaching- large numbers of children the teacher 
may not be able to see whether all are laying their 
sticks according to direction ; in such an emergency 
she can get assistance from some of the brightest 
children. By a little tact on the part of the'teacher 
the most mischievous and troublesome pupils may 
become earnest little helpers. 

Chart 3 (page 10 in ISTe'w Primer). — The counting 
lesson should be made bright and pleasant. Let 
the children talk about the birds before they begin. 
"Do you love httle birds ?"—" Have you seen any 
real birds to-day ?"—" Where did you see them?" 
Such questions as these may be asked, to awaken 
the interest of the little ones and bring out pleasant 
qualities of voice. Do not attempt to teach them to 
count ten at once ; let them count one bird at first, 
bring you one book, point out one child, one win- 
dow, etc. Teach them to count two in the same 
way, always requiring them to count objects in 
the room. 

After a few lessons let the children sometimes 
take turns in pointing out the birds, while the rest 
of the class counts. To vary the lessons and to call 
out the imagination of the children let them have 
little sticks on their desks (say an inch in length) 
and "play they are birds." 

"Charlie, how many birds have you on your 
desk?" — "I have two birds." — "Here are two more 
birds flying to you, Charlie" (the teacher laying 
two more sticks on his desk). "I^ow count and 
tell me how many more birds you have."— "One, 
two, three, four! I have four birds."— "You are 
right. John has no birds.— John, come here and 
take five birds out of my box." 

The ingenious teacher will think of many ways 
to keep up the interest of little ones, and to aid 
them in counting. 



How to Teach Heading. • 9 

After a drill of several weeks or months in the 
directions already hinted at, the children will be 
ready to learn from 

Chart 4 (page 11 in ISTew Primer).— The teacher 
should make herself familiar with the directions 
at the bottom of the chart before beginning the 
lesson. Of course these directions are for the teacher 
onl}/, and she will vary them according to the needs 
of the pupils. 

These charts can be used by the word method 
or by the phonic method. We earnestly recom- 
mend the latter, for it makes the children self-re- 
liant from the outset. Grammar-school teachers 
have found that children Avho have been taught to 
read by the "word method" are not apt to be good 
scholars in arithmetic. The reason is obvious: they 
have formed the habit of depending on others in 
learning to read, instead of finding out the words 
for themselves. 

Most of the words in the charts and Primer are 
phonic, and can be taught by sound. A few words 
*'by sight" are introduced later, when the mental 
habits of the child are somewhat formed. We would 
say, then, Do not teach the names of the letters on 
Chart 4 as em, en^ a: give only their sounds. 

First, the teacher should clearly understand the 
difference bet^reen the sounds of the vowels and 
the consonants. In articulation, the lips, the teeth 
and the hard and soft palates are brought into use. 
In producing the vowels {a-, e, i, o, ?«, including the 
long and short sounds) the vocal organs are open 
and free ; but in producing the sounds of the con- 
sonants there is a hindrance to the free emission 
of the voice, owing to a closer position of the vocal 
organs, and in most cases actual contact. This is il- 
lustrated in the following diagrams. Figs. 1 and 2 
represent the position of the vocal organs in pro- 
ducing the sounds of the consonants 7n and n. 
Figs. 3 and 4 indicate the open position of the or- 
gans in producing the long and the short sound of 
the vowel a. 



10 



How to Teach Heading. 




Fig. 2. 




Position of lips and vocal organs 
in producing sound of in. 



Position of tongue and lips in 
producing sound of n. 



Fig. 3. 



Fig. 4. 




Position of the vocal organs in 
producing short sound of a. 




Position of the vocal organs in 
producing long sound of a. 



Fig. 1 shows that the sound of ni is made witli 
shut lips, the sound being- emitted through tlie 
nose, as indicated by the dotted line. N'otice posi- 
tion of lips in producing final sound of such words 
as am, dim, hum, etc. Fig. 2 shows that the sound of 
n is made by putting the tip of the tongue just hack 
of the upper teeth, the sound again being emitted 
through the nose. N'otice the position of the tongue 
in producing the final sound of hi, tin, ran, etc. It 
is much more difficult to understand the sound of 
a consonant when it is the first letter of a word : 
the sound of the consonant mingles with that of 
the following vowel and confuses one. 

The sound a (long) as in pate is not used In the 
Primer, but we add a diagram of the same, that the 
teacher may see how perplexing it is to a child to 



How to Teach Heading. 11 

tell him, in the outset, that a in man is a. The 
long- sound, of 71 is double, made up of a + e. This 
is shown in Fig. 4. The dotted line indicates the 
position of the tongue in producing the final part, 
e. Slowly pronounce a as in fate, and notice the 
twofold action of the lips, tongue, and teeth. Then 
begin to pronounce words commencing with the 
short sound of a, as at, am, an, etc., leaving* out the 
final consonant. It will he seen that this sound of 
«, or a, requires hut one position of the vocal or- 
gans, as is shown in Fig. 3. Now, if the teacher 
wishes the child to find out or "build up" words 
for himself, and tells him in the outset that em, a, 
en, spells man, it is as perplexing as if she gave him 
marbles and told him to build a block-house. 

The teacher, then, understanding that the sottud, 
and not the name, of the letter is to be taught, should, 
before showing Chart 4, print m. on the board. Ask 
the children how many "up-and-down" lines they 
see in it. They will readily say, "Three;" and if 
they have had faithful preliminary drill on "Lines 
and Figures," they will also say that they see two 
curves at the top. 

Then the teacher should proceed according to 
directions on Chart 4: 

" Children, when you see this letter witTi three 'up- 
and-down' lines in it, you should call it thus;" and 
the teacher makes the sound of m with closed lips. 

After sufficient drill print a on the board. Ask 
if there is an "up-and-down" line in it. Let the 
children point it out. Ask if it has curves, and 
where. Compare it with m. Draw out from the 
children the points of difference between the two 
letters. In this way the forms of the letters are 
impressed upon the minds of the little ones, and 
they are ready to learn this sound of a, the teacher 
giving, of course, not a, but a as in man. Next 
print n on the board, and the children will be 
quick to observe that it has but two vertical lines. 
Then give the sound of n as directed above. 

After the children are familiar with the sounds 
of the three letters the teacher may turn to Chart 4 



12 How to Teach Reading. 

and say, after talking- a while about the picture, 
"ISTow, children, you have learned enough this 
morning" to read all that Is on this chart. First 
let me see if you remember the sounds;" and the 
teacher should review the sounds of the letters 
found on the chart, as little children may he bewil- 
dered at seeing- the characters in print. Let them 
point out all the m's, n's, etc. (being very careful to 
give only the sounds of the letters). Pay no atten- 
tion to the script at present. 

Xext the teacher should help them "build up" 
the word nidu, beginning at the top of the chart. 
The spaces between the letters indicate the slow- 
ness with which a little child w^ould do this. The 
teacher points at the three letters in their order, 
while the child gives the sounds m-a-u. At first 
he does not know that he is framing a word. The 
teacher repeats the process again and again, point- 
ing out the sounds more quickly each time, until 
the child perceives that he is saying the Avord tnan. 

Finally teach the phrase a man. The article is 
always to be joined ^vith the following word in 
speaking, as if it were a first syllable; as, a-go, 
a-bed, €i-nian. 

Forming the other words on the chart will be a 
very easy matter after the foregoing is accom- 
plished. Teach this first lesson thoroughly, and it 
will make all the subsequent lessons comparatively 
easy to the children. 

Let all printed letters remain upon the board a 
week, at least, after they are taught. The teacher 
will often find the little ones looking at them and 
repeating to themselves the sounds. 

As it is probable that several of the class will 
not remember all the sounds on Chart 4, review 
it at the beginning of the next lesson: 

"Now, children, we want to read from a new 
chart to-day, and we shall turn to it in a few min- 
utes, if you will all give attention and show me 
that you remember the sounds you learned yes- 
terday. Who thinks he can read all that is in this 
first lesson?" Some bright child will volunteer. 



How to Teach Heading. 13 

" Charlie thinks he can read it. All the rest of 
the class watch carefully while I point and Charlie 
reads.— Very g"ood ! I am g-lad to see you remem- 
ber so well.— Who else will read it for me?" etc. 

Sometimes vary the lessons by letting" the chil- 
dren take turns in pointing- for the rest of the class 
to read. Children greatly enjoy "playing teacher;" 
they will be sure to give closer attention that they 
may earn this privilege. 

After a short, brisk review turn to 

Chart 5 (page 12 in Kew Primer): "Children, I 
know you will enjoy this lesson. You can read 
every word here except one, and you will soon 
know that. But first we will talk a while about the 
picture.— Lizzie, what do you see here?"— "I see a 
little boy."— " Good !— Anna, tell me something about 
the little boy."— "He has a big* hat on."— "John, do 
you think the hat fits him?"— "No, ma'am. I think 
it is his papa's hat."— "I think so, too.— Jane, what 
has he in his hand?"— "He has a big cane. I think 
it must be his papa's cane."— "Perhaps it is.— Carl, 
what do you suppose this little boy can be doing" 
with a big hat and cane?"— "I guess he is 'making 
believe' he is a man."— "That maybe so. He seems 
to be full of fun. I think he is talking; we will 
read what is on the chart and find out what he is 
saying". First we must learn the new sound." 

The teacher then prints I on the board. Talk 
about the form of the letter, and finally give its 
sound, which in this instance is the same as the 
name of the letter. Turn again to the chart and 
let the children point out all the I^s; they will 
then be ready to read all the words and phrases 
and find out what the little boy is saying. 

The important thing now is to teach the chil- 
dren to read in phrases. By frequent repetition 
they must be made so familiar with the words that 
they can call them promptly at sight. And they 
must be taught to see short phrases and speak 
them at a single breatli; thus, I am as fluently as if it 
were one word. Then a niaii is to be spoken in the 



14 



How to Teach Heading. 



same easy manner. N'ext the two phrases should 
he spoken (or read) with a slight pause hetween 
them, and finally the complete sentence, **-Z cun a 
tnaUf" is to he read easily with a single impulse of 
the hreath, and with no awkward pauses hetween 
the words. 



Fig. 5. 



Chart 6 (page 13 in New Primer) will also he found 
easy and interesting to the children if the previous 
lessons have heen faithfully learned, as it contains 
hut one new sound, that of r. The capital A. is also 
to he taught. Copy these two letters on the hoard. 
Ask questions ahout them. Let the children tell 
the points of difference: "One of these letters has 
a ' sharp angle.' Who will show me where it is ?" etc. 
Give the letter A. the same sound as the little a, 
already taught — namely, its short sound as in man. 
Be careful on this point; u man ran is very had 
reading. If a child begins with this fault, it is very 
difficult to break it up. (See page 10.) Be careful not 
to call r hy its name ; as, ar. Give only its sound, 
which is made according to the diagram helow. 

The tongue is reversed, or turned 
hack. The inexperienced teacher 
will easily get at the sound hy be- 
ginning to say ran. Leave off an, 
and you have the sound of r. 

It is much easier to teach chil- 
dren to read phonetically if they 
have not learned the names of the 
letters. If any child is unfortu- 
nately already familiar ^with them, 
it will be necessarv to teach him 
to distinguish between the nam.e 
of a letter and its sound. The fol- 
lowing hints may be of use : 

The teacher asks, " Children, have any of you a cat 
at home ?" Several will reply that they have. " What 
is her name ? What do you call her?" Some answer, 
"We call her Kitty," "Puss," etc.— "Well, does she 
sag ' Kitty ' ? Does she say ' Puss ' ?— " Oh no ; she says 
• Jleic^/''— "And has any one a dog at home?"— 




Position of toiigrne in 
giving the sound of r. 



How to Teach Reading. 



15 



"Yes."— "What is his name?"— "Carlo."— "Does he 
say ' Carlo '?"—" Oh no!"— "Does he say 'dog-'?"— 
"No."— "What does he say?"— "He says 'Bow-wow!' 
and sometimes, when he Is cross, he says *r-r-r^'' 
(a growling- noise).— "Yes, the dog-'s name is Carlo, 
hnt the sound he makes is * how-wow' and ^r-r-r;' 
and the sound Puss makes is *Mew' and *pr-r-r.' 
Now, the name of this letter {ni) is em, "but it sounds 
ni'' (with the lips shut, the sound passing- throug-h 
the nose). "And the natne of this letter (r) is ar, but 
it sounds just a little like your dog's growl — r-r-r.'' 
In a similar way the names of the different let- 
ters as they appear on the charts may he distin- 
guished from their sounds (if it he found neces- 
sary), hut it must not be forgotten that the sound 
is the important thing in reading. 

Chart 7 (page 14 in New Primer).— Proceed as 
before, printing the two new lettei^ on the board. 
Make this exercise bright and interesting, and the 
children will enjoy analyzing the foi*ms of the let- 
ters. They will be sure to say that e is almost 
round; they w^ll speak of the straight line run- 
ning through it, etc. The sound of this e is like 
the name of the letter itself ie). Explain that two 
e's (ee) sound the same as one e. 

The sound of S is made by putting the end of 
the tongue back of the upper teeth, leaving a 
slight orifice, through which the 
breath passes. (See Fig. 6.) Begin ric.e. 

to speak the word see, leaving off 
the ee, and you find yourself pro- 
ducing the sharp sound of s. The 
teacher should he sure that she un- 
derstands how to niahe the new 
sounds on each chart hefore giving 
the lesson. 

On examining the letter s the 
children Avill be likely to say that 
it is not round, it is not straight, 
but it is crooked ; and in teaching Position of tongue in 
the sound of s they may be told p-^^^-^ ^i^— ^ 




16 How to Teach Reading. 

that there is something- which looks like it and 
which makes the same sound. Some brig-ht little 
fellow will probably say, "A snake."— "Yes, the let- 
ter looks like a snake, and its sound is like the 
little hiss which a snake sometimes makes. Re- 
peat this sound after me— s^^ {a short hissing sound). 

The children are exercised in making- this sound 
and that of- long: e as the letters are pointed out by 
the teacher. On turning to the chart have a pleas- 
ant talk with the children about the picture. A few 
minutes spent in letting them describe the details 
of each picture not only will make them interested 
in the lesson which is to follow, but will bring out 
their powers of imag-ination and teach them to ob- 
serve carefully. 

Before beg-inning the reading-lesson it is well to 
encourag-e the little ones thus: "Children, there is 
only one new word to be learned this morning-, and 
you have already sx^oken it many times. The little 
g-irl in the picture is saying this same word. Let us 
find out what it is." The teacher then points to .s, 
then ee (asking the children to g-ive the sounds), 
slowly at first, but g-radually bring-ing the sounds 
together until the children discover that the new 
word is see. Then let them take turns in pointing- it 
out wherever it comes on the chart. Let them also 
point out in this way the phrase I see and a man, 
and finally the sentence I see a nian is to be taken 
in by the eye all at once and spoken with a single 
impulse of the breath. After the children are fa- 
miliar with the words of a lesson, the teacher 
should insist that they read even the simplest 
phrases in easy, natural tones of voice as in com- 
mon conversation. In no other way can g-ood 
reading be attained. 

The period is placed after the sentences; the 
teacher will use her judgment about giving- an 
explanation of it at present. If any allusion be 
made to it, the children may be told simply that 
it means to stop or rest when they are reading. 
Any more than this w^ould only confuse them, and 
retard their progress. 



How to Teach Reading. 



17 



Chart 8 (page 15 in New Primer). fig. 7. 

—There is but one new sound to be 
tauglit on this chart — tliat of the 
letter c, which is (here) hard like k. 

Tlie sound of h is aspirated, and 
is produced by shutting- tlie back 
of the tongue against tlie soft pal- 
ate. Pronounce the word book, 
and notice carefully the sound of 
the final k. This gives you the 
rough breathing or aspirated qual- 
ity belonging to the sound of k, 
and consequently to the hard 
sound of c in can. 

Print c on the board and proceed as before. 
(See directions for Chart 4, page 9.) Let the chil- 
dren compare c with e and point out the differ- 
ences. Having learned to associate the right sound 
with the lettei', they will readily build up the word 
can. The word nie will be very easy, as it is made 
up of two sounds already learned. 




Position of the tongue 
in producing the 
sound of k. 



Fig. 8. 



Chart 9 (page 16 in ISTew Primer).— This chart 
gives but one new sound— that of f. This is pro- 
duced by putting the tip of the tongue against the 
back of the upper teeth, stopping 
the breath from passing outward 
for an instant, then allowing it to 
pass in a slight puff. Pronounce ^ 
carefully such words as cat, fat, ^ 
pat, etc., and notice the linal con- ^ 
sonant, t. 

Print the new letter on the 
board, and proceed as before. (See 
page 11.) The word rat is the only 
new word to be taught on this 
chart. The children will have no 
difficulty in reading it if previous Position of the tongrue 

1 T , ,, , -, in producing sound 

lessons have been well learned. of t. 




Chart lO (page 17, New Primer) is a review of 
sounds already learned. It will encourage the lit- 



18 How to Teach Reading. 

tie ones to tell them this after Interesting them 
In the picture: "Children, there are no new sounds 
to he learned to-day. If you are careful, you can 
read all this chart (or lesson) without any help 
from me. Who thinks he can read the words over 
the picture?" After several of the children have 
"huilt up" the word cat, let others take turns in 
pointing- out the new word wherever it may be 
found on the chart. 

It must he remembered that reading- at this stag-e 
is an education of the eye : the child must learn to 
see accurately. The form of each letter must he dis- 
tinctly jjictured on his mind. To aid in this he may 
he told to look carefully at the letter, then shut his 
eyes and think how it looks and what sound it 
stands for. The same may be done with words, 
phrases, and finally with complete sentences. Call 
a child's attention to a sentence; then conceal it 
from view and require the child to tell what he 
saw. It is surprising- to what extent the eye may 
be thus trained. In process of time the power is 
acquired to take into the mind at a momentary 
glance not only complete sentences, but even para- 
graphs of several lines. The advantage of such a 
power to the adult cannot be overvalued, and it is 
best acquiredby beginning the discipline in early life. 

Chart n (page 18, New Primer).— After printing O 
on the board be careful not to call it by its letter- 
name. Tell the children that it is o (like short o in 
box, foac^ etc.). Long o is not taught before Chart 39. 

Of course the teacher is not to make the diacrit- 
ical mark over the o. These charts are so arranged 
that children will gradually learn from the posi- 
tion of a vowel in a word whether it should be 
pronounced with a long or short sound. 

The sound of a? is like ks. Pronounce any word 
ending in a:r— as six, fix, box, /o.x— and you cannot 
fail to get at the sound of x. Ox is the only new 
word to be taught on this chart. 

The interrogation-mark is here used. It is bet- 
ter to call it " question-mark," telling the children 



How to TeacJi Heading. 



19 



Fig. 9. 



that it is placed after a question. They should not 
be required to repeat formal definitions of this or 
any other punctuation-mark. 

Chart 12 (page 19, New Primer) teaches the sound 
of /'. This sound is produced hy placing- the lower 
lip against the upper teeth and emitting the breath. 
The teacher will see this by pro- 
nouncing words ending in /; as, 
root\ calf, staff, loaf, etc. In teach- 
ing this sound be careful not to 
vocalize it, as if it were the sound 
of t% as in have, give, live, etc. 

The pictui'e on this chart may 
serve as the basis for an interest- 
ing object-lesson. On being asked 
Avhat animal it is, many of the 
children will say it is a dog; this 
will enable the teacher to call out 
the points of difference between 
the dog and the fox. In the course 
of conversation with the children manage to bring 
in the w^ord ox. Ask if that word is to be found on 
this chart. Have it pointed out. After having learn- 
ed to associate the sound of / with the letter on the 




Position of lips in pro- 
ducing sound of f. 



chart, the children will readily find out the word fox. 



Chart 13 (page 20, New Primer).— The next sound 
to be taught is that of h, which is a simple breath- 
ing out of the breath. Initial 7i is always follow^ed 
by a vowel-sound, and after a little practice the h 
w^ill naturally be produced by emitting the breath 
with the mouth in the position required for the 
following vowel, which in this instance is short a. 

The children, having already learned the sharp 
or hissing sound of s, will very readily acquire the 
buzzing or flat sound (like z). This sound (as in the 
word has, pronounced as if it were spelled haz) is 
indicated by the s with a mark below it {§). Print 
both forms on the blackboard, and let the class 
compare them. They will readily acquire facility 
in distinguishing the hissing sound (as in see) from 
the buzzing sound (as in ?ia§). 



20 How to Teach Reading. 

Explain tliat two n^s {nn) sound the same as one n. 

The article tJie is here for the first time intro- 
duced. On account of the double consonant and 
obscure vowel, it is better to teach this word as a 
whole. As a child is taught to speak the word find 
when he sees the character "&," so he may be 
taught to speak the word the when he sees this 
form {the) as a w^hole. It should be pronounced 
tlM or tht, and as if it were a part of the following 
word. (See page 21.) 

After the children have learned to read with fa- 
cility the new words at the top of the chart see that 
they read the sentences below with spirit and ani- 
mation. Teach them to read naturally, or as if they 
were conversing. If a child is inclined to read in 
a dull, monotonous way— as, "I— can— see— Ann"— 
speak to him in animated tones. " Whom can you 
see, Charlie?" (pointing to the little girl in the pic- 
ture).— "I can see Ann."— "Oh! you can see Ann? 
Read this line again, and say the words as pleas- 
antly as you said them to me just now." (Child 
repeats.) "Verj^good! Read the next line and tell 
me what Ann has " (in her hand).— "Ann has a fan,'' 
—"Good!— Will some one else read these two lines 
in a pleasant voice?" In this w^ay bring out the 
speaking qualities of the voice, and do not let the 
children get into unnatural, faulty inflections. 

Fig. 10. Chart 14 (page 21, ISTew Primer) 

has but one new sound— that of 
i>. This sound is produced by 
gently shutting the lips together 
and separating them with a slight 
puff of breath, as in cap^ rap, flap, 
nap, etc. 

After printing the letter p on 
the board give the class practice 
In associating this action of the 
lips with the letter. 

''°dui°n7/oun''d'orpr Capital "H" is here taught; 

also the new form of The, For 

its pronunciation, see page 21. 




Hoiu to Teach Reading. 21 

The children will have no difficulty in reading* 
this lesson, as it is mostly a review of words pre- 
viously taught. 

Chart 15 (page 22, N'ew Primer) can be made quite 
interesting to the children by using it as the basis 
of a language-lesson. The primary object of the 
chart is to give practice in joining the articles to 
the words which follow them; and one means of 
accomplishing this is a wide-awake language-les- 
son, which will be suggested below. 

The children should be made so familiar with 
the words a, an and the that they can call them at 
a glance without a moment's hesitation. Then they 
must be taught to speak them in connection with 
the following word as freely as if the two words 
formed one. Thus, the phrase an ooc should be 
spoken with a single impulse of the voice, like a 
word of two syllables accented on the second, as 
annex, annul. The phrase a fan will be spoken with 
an accent similar to the word abed, etc. 

Do not give the long sound to a and the when 
spoken in connection with other words. As given 
in Webster's Dictionary the rule for their pronun- 
ciation is as follows: "We say a and the when we 
pronounce the words by themselves, but in actual 
use they become nearly or quite u and thii or thu 
In connection with other words the usually suffers 
a shortening or corruption of its vowel, being pro- 
nounced f^^, or very nearly so, before a word be- 
ginning with a vowel-sound, and thU^ or very 
nearly so, before a word beginning with a conso- 
nant-sound." 

After a sufficient drill on the articles in connec- 
tion with the following words, the teacher may say, 
"Now, children, I will point to a word on the chart, 
and I want you to look at it carefully and think of 
something to tell about it. Who will read this" 
(pointing to "The Cat") "and finish out a sentence? 
No one dares to try? Hear me : 'The cat ran up into 
a tree.' Now I will point to another word, and I am 
sure some one will read it and tell me something 



22 Hoiu to Teach Reading: 

about it. Who will try?— Charlie, I am sure you are 
willing- to try." Charlie reads : " The ox got into the 
corn." — "Good!— Who will read the next w^ord and 
add something' to it?— Lizzie, you may read it." Liz- 
zie reads: "A rat nibbled some cheese that was in 
mamma's closet." — "Very good! Did your mamma 
catch the rat?"— "ISTo, ma'am. The rat got into the 
closet at night, when every one w^as asleep." — 
"Thank you, Lizzie! you have given me some very 
good sentences." (Notice that Lizzie has been led to 
use both articles in saying "a rat" and "the rat.") 
"Who will read the next word and say something 
about it?— You may read it, John."— "'The fox has 
a bushy tail.' "—"You are right, John. Did you ever 
see a fox?"— "Yes, ma'am; I saw a fox in the menag- 
erie last summer." 

In simple ways like this the teacher can greatly 
interest the little ones in this chart, which will 
serve the threefold use of a language-lesson, a re- 
vieiv and a correct pronunciation of the articles. 

ISTever allow a child to give an incomplete sen- 
tence; and if he make a grammatical error, give. the 
sentence correctly and let the child repeat it after 
you. This needs tact on the part of the teacher, as 
children are easily discouraged in their first at- 
tempts to express themselves. 

SCRIPT. 

After a thorough drill on Chart 15 it will be w^ell 
to go back to Chart 4 and teach the script letters. 
In teaching writing the teacher should make use 
of the board, while the children liaA^e their slates, 
both board and slates being ruled in this w^ay— 



^^/^/^^. 




More than two lines are confusing. First the teacher 
writes very slowly, describing as she writes : 



Hoiv to Teach Beading. 23 



" I put the pencil on tlie lower line, and carry it to 
the upper line. I carry the pencil on the line a 
little way, then go back on the line, down to the 
lower line, curving- toward" (mentioning something 
at the right), "going up to the upper line to close 
the a at the top ; now I go down to the lower line, 
make a curved corner, and go again to the upper 
line. Now I will write the word man. I put the 
pencil on the lower line, carry it to the upper line, 
make a rounding corner, go down to the lower line, 
make a sharp corner, go to the upper line, make a 
rounding corner, down to the lower line, make a 
sharp corner, back to the upper line, etc. Kow you 
may try to write these words on your slates, while I 
write them again ; and you must try to write just as 
I tell you." (The teacher writes and describes again.) 
Most of the children will be unable to follow at 
first ; quite a number will not even attempt it. En- 
courage them, and in a very few days they will be 
able to do something that is suggestive of the copy. 
After a few weeks their progress will be quite sur- 
prising. Technical writing should be taken up a 
little later on, commencing with the easy letters — 
i first, then u, ii, fn, etc. Do not attempt too much 
in this direction the first year. It is better to let 
the children spend most of the hour for writing in 
copying the script sentences. 

Chart 16 (page 23, New Primer).— The new sound 
to be taught on this chart is short i. Up to this time 
only the capital I has been used, and that always 
with its long sound, which it has when it consti- 
tutes a word by itself. Print on the board both 
forms of the letter, the capital and small letter, 
also the words is, hiq, if, hit. It is enough for the 
children to be told at present that when the letter 
stands alone it sounds I (long), but when there is 
another letter after it in the same word it sounds 
* (short). 

Chart 17 (page 24, New Primer). — Nothing new is 
introduced here except the short sound of //, as in 



24 How to Teach Heading. 

run. After the cMldren have become familiar with 
the new words (all of which can he easily called 
out from the children in a familiar talk about the 
picture) see that they speak all the sentences in 
a pleasant tone. Perhaps some child may read 
in a monotonous way: "See— me— run. See — me — 
hop." Teacher: "Charlie, if you were that httle 
boy in the picture, and you wanted me to watch 
you in your fun, you would say, ' See me run ' " (in 
sprig-htly tones), "'See me hop.' Read that line 
again and make believe that you really are the lit- 
tle boy." (Charlie reads.) "Very g-ood!— AVho else 
will read that line, and in the same lively way that 
Charlie just read it?" 

Sometimes the teacher should read a line in two 
ways— first with a dull, uninteresting- tone, next in 
a bright, sprightly manner. Ask the children which 
they like best. They will be sure to prefer the lat- 
ter. In this and other ways cultivate patiently the 
taste for pleasant, natural reading. 

Chart 18 (page 25, ISTew Primer).— Tliere are no 
new sounds on this chart, and the little ones will 
have no difficulty in finding out the new words for 
themselves. Encourage them to believe this, and 
they will show rencAved zest in their reading-lesson. 

Chart 19 (page 26, New Primer).— The new sound 
here is that of g hard. This sound is made by 
pressing the back of the tongue against the soft 
palate, as in producing the sound of k. (See page 
15, Fig. T.) The teacher can easily learn this sound 
by pronouncing slowly such words as pig, fiq, dig, 
etc., and noticing the action of the vocal organs in 
producing the final sound. 

Chart 20 (page 27, New Primer).— The position 
of the lips and tongue in pronouncing the sound 
of d is the same as for t, (See Fig. 8, page 17.) The 
sound of the latter is aspirated, or whispered. 
The sound of d is sub-vocal, or made with the 
voice. This is readily seen in pronouncing slowly 
words ending in d, as had, pad, sad, mud, proud, 



II(yw to Teach Reading. 



25 



loadf etc., comparing- them with, words ending- in t, 
as ratf ^nat^ juif, etc. 

Chart 21 (pag-e 28, New Primer).— The sound of b 
is here tauglit. The position of the lips is tlie same 
as for p, (See Fig-. 10, pag-e 18.) -The difference in tlie 
two sounds is as follows: The sound of p is aspi- 
rated, and that of b is sub-vocal. In producing 
the sound of b direct the voice toward the lips 
while they are closed, as in cab, tab, ebb, robe, 
daub, etc. 

As the child's vocabulary of words increases he 
should g-ain in the variety of his inflection. The 
teacher should keep this in mind constantly, and 
see that with each succeeding- lesson the class g-ains 
in the use of sprig-htly, natural tones. 



Chart 22 (pag-e 29, New Prim- 
er).— In producing- the sound of I 
the front of the tong-ue is raised 
ag-ainst the upper g-ums, and the 
voice is allowed to escape at the 
sides of the tong-ue. Notice this 
In pronoLincing- fill, roll, peel, boil, 
etc. As in the pronunciation of 
other sounds, the teacher should 
familiarize herself with the posi- 
tion of the vocal org-ans before at- 
tempting- an explanation to the 
class. 



Fig. 11. 




Position of lips and 
tongue in producing 
the sound of 1. 



Chart 23 (pag-e 30, New Primer).— The sound of k 
has already been taught in teaching- the hard sound 
of c (Fig-. T, pag-e IT). It is not necessary to say this to 
the children. After printing- Ic on the board give 
them its sound ; they will soon find out for them- 
selves that the two letters often sound alike. 

Chart 24 (pag-e 31, New Primer).— In teaching 
short sound of e it is sufficient to say for the pres- 
ent that when e conies at the end of a short word — 
as, me, see, etc.— it is e (long-) ; when It comes before 
a letter— as in nest, hen, egg, pet, etc.— it is e (short). 



26 How to Teach Reading. 

Chart 25 (pag-es 32 and 33, ISTew Primer).— We have 
here simply a review of words already learned, but 
they will be found more difficult than previous les- 
sons unless special care is taken on the part of the 
teacher. If the children are using- the ISTew Primer, 
let them examine the picture carefully. Asii them 
what the little boy is doing-, and what animals they 
see on the table; sug-g-est that there may be more 
animals in the box. If the class is reading from the 
chart, explain that the lesson is about a little boy, 
named Max. He is standing- at a table playing with 
a box of toy-animals. Some of the animals are in 
the box, and some are on the table. Ask the little 
ones what animals they think Max has, how many, 
what they are made of, etc. 

Teacher: "We will see now whether you have 
guessed right. The first two lines tell what the 
little boy is playing- with. Who will read these 
lines ?— Charlie, you may read." (Charlie reads.) 
"Charlie says, 'Max has a dog, a pig, and a kid.' 
ISTow let us play that Max is a real boy. We will 
ask him questions, and he will answer us.— Lizzie, 
you may talk first to him. Read the next line." 
(Lizzie reads.) "Lizzie has asked Max if that little 
dog which he has on the table can run. Who will 
read the next line and tell us what Max says in 
reply to Lizzie's question?" 

Tlius, by appealing to the imagination, the 
teaeher will so interest the little ones that they 
will forget the difficulties. They will be sure to 
regard the question-marks in speaking to Max, 
and they will unconsciously g-et the correct em- 
phasis, and will read with pleasant tones of voice. 

After the class is tolerably familiar with the les- 
son let three of the children read it. One child, 
playing she is mother, may read the first and last 
paragraphs, and the two other children may read 
the remainder as a dialog-ue. The word you should 
be taught as a whole or "by sight." 

Chart 26 (page 34, New Primer). —Long y has the 
sound of long- i. 



How to Teacli Reading. 



27 



Fig. 12, 



N"otice the different qualities of 
voice and tlie variety of inflections 
which, may be brought out in this 
lesson. 



Chart 27 (page 35, New Primer). 
— To produce the sound of w as a 
consonant, slightly contract and 
round the lips and bring them 
nearly together. The teacher 
should make herself familiar with 
this sound by pronouncing such 
words as wish, wait, web, wear, 
wax, worst, etc. 




Position of lips in pro- 
ducing sound of w 
as a consonant. 



Chart 28 (page 36, New Primer).— J is a double 
consonant, having the sound of il and zli. This is 
apparent by pronouncing slowly such words as 
jail, jet, jangle, jar, jtif/, jounee, etc. Of course it is 
unnecessary to tell the children that J has a double 
sound. Let them learn it through imitation only. 

Chart 29 (page 37, New Primer).— Explain that c7c 
has the same sound as A-. Also tell the children 
not to notice the light letters (the silent letters in- 
dicated by open type) in "building up" a word. 

Chart 30 (page 38, New Primer).— Q has the same 
sound as k. Qa sounds cdi} (very short). 

Chart 32 (page 40, New Primer).— A word of two 
syllables is here introduced. There will be no diflB.- 
culty in teaching this word, rabbity as each syllable 
consists of familiar sounds. Indeed, children will 
be delighted to find that they can read it as easily 
as if it were two short words. 

Chart 33 (pages 41, 42, New Primer).— The little 
ones will be disappointed to find no picture; but 
if the teacher make use of the fact that children 
are always made liappy when their imagination is 
brouffht into healthful eacereise^ she can readily com- 
pensate them for their disappointment. 



28 How to Teach Reading.- 

Tell tliem that this lesson is a conversation be- 
tween a little hoy named John and a little g-irl 
named Ann. They live on a farm in the country. 
John has a rabbit, of which he is very fond. There 
are a g-reat many hens on the farm, and Ann cares 
more for them than she does for the rabbit, be- 
cause one of the hens— a pretty white one— is her 
own: her papa gave it to her. This hen is sitting- 
on eggs, and Ann hopes to own a brood of chickens 
some day. The children have just come home from 
school. They are always tog-ether, and each tries to 
do what will please the other: "John speaks first; 
who will read ^what John says?" 

The little ones will be much more interested in 
this story if they take turns in reading it, two at 
a time, personating Ann and John. If this lesson 
be found too difficult, it may be omitted until 
later, as it contains no new words. 

Chart 35 (page 44, ISTew Primer).— The position of 
the mouth in producing the sound of v is the same 
as for /. {See Fig. 9, page 17.) The difference be- 
tween the two letters is that / has an aspirated 
sound and v is vocalized. This can readily be seen 
by comparing- carefully such words as loaf, wife, 
strife, with have, give, love, etc. 

The children will have no difficulty in reading" 
this chart after learning- the sound of v. 

Chart 37 (page 46, ISTew Primer).— The word you 
is pronounced like the long- sound of u; hence y 
and o are silent. (See Webster and Worcester.) The 
children can be told, therefore, that this sound of 
ti is like its name. 

Chart 38 (page 47, ISTe^^^ Primer).— The sound of z 
is like that of buzzing §. (See Chart 13.) The position 
of the vocal org-ans in producing- this sound is found 
In Fig. 6, page 13. There are but few ^vords ending 
in z, but there are many ending with the sound of 
z as expressed by §, Perhaps no word teaches this 
sound so well as buzz. In making one's self familiar 
with this sound, prolong the word— thus : buzz-z-z. 



How to Teach Reading, 



29 



After the children are tolerably familiar with the 
words of this lesson they can easily be led to read 
it in a bright, sprig-htly way, as if they were talking-. 

Chart 39 (pag-e 48, New Primer).— Here, again, the 
sound of a letter is like its name— viz., o, as in </o, 
no, etc. Children readily understand the differ- 
ence between the long- and short sounds of the 
vowels if told that it takes long-er to pronounce 
the former than it does to pronounce the latter. 
For instance, one is longer in pronouncing- o in go 
than o in hot or pond. 



Chart 41 (page 50, New Primer). 
— In producing the sound of sh 
the front of the tongue is lifted 
toward the roof of the mouth, 
so that the lower surface of the 
tongue will be facing the teeth. 

This lesson should be read as 
a dialogue. 

Children always enjoy this 
manner of reading. In beginning 
the lesson, it will incite them to 
do well if told that after they are 
familiar with the words, they 
may take turns in reading- it, two 



Fig. 18. 




Position of tongue in pro- 
ducing sound of sh. 



at a time. 



Chart 42 (page 51, Now Prim- 
er).— In producing the sound of 
y as a consonant (at the end of a 
word it is a vowel) raise the con- 
vex arch of the tongue toward 
the roof of the mouth, as in pro- 
ducing the vowel e, but so closely 
as somewhat to obstruct the pas- 
sage of the voice. This is -seen in 
pronouncing slowly such words 
as yield, yet, Yale, York, yawl, 
young, etc. 

This lesson should be read as 
a dialogue. 



Fig. 14. 




Position of the tongue 
in producing the 
sound of y as a con- 
sonant. 



30 



How to Teach Heading. 



Chart 43 (pag-e 52, New Primer).— In this lesson 
there are tliree words to be tauglit "by sight"— 
that is^ each word, is to be taught as a whole. An- 
alyzing these words will come later. 

Do not tr;^^ to teach the "by-sig-ht" words inde- 
pendently of the lines in which they are found. 
The children will become so interested in reading- 
these little rhymes that ten chances to one they 
will not notice that these easy words are new to 
them. 



Fig. 15. 



Chart 44 (pag-e 55, IsTew Primer).— This chart has 
no new sounds, but it has several new words. The 
class should "build up" the seven words "by 
sound" before reading the story. As there is no 
dialog-ue, there will be danger of monotony in 
tone in the reading; but this will not occur if the 
children are thoroug-hly interested in the story. 

Charts 45 and 46 (pages 58 and 59, ]N"ew Primer). 
—To produce the sound of th flatten the tongne and 
place the end of it ag-ainst the edge of the upper 

teeth. Th is either an aspirate, as 
in breath, smith, hath, or vocal, as 
in batJie, breathe , there, lathe, tJiey, 
etc. In the present lesson th is vo- 
cal. Understand this thoroughly 
before attempting to give the 
sound to the class. 

The different points of the story 
can be brought out if the children 
describe the picture. In "build- 
ing- up " the new words at the top 
of the pag-e they will be interested 
to know that the word which be- 
gins with a large letter is the name 
of the little boy's dog-. "This little 
hunter is playing by himself, and has no one to 
speak to except 'Jip,' whom he imagines to be a 
live dog. Let us read the lesson and lind out what 
he is saying to Jip." 




Position of tongne in 
producing the sound 
of th. 



Hoiu to Teach Reading. 31 



Chart 47 (pag-e 60, New Primer).— This lesson 
shows the difference "between long- and short y. 
Tell the children that y at the end of short words 
sounds I (long-), hut at the end of long- words— two 
or more syllables— it sounds * (short). Illustrate 
this on the hoard hy writing ^ny, shy, fly, and 
Jenny, funny, sunny. 

Chart 50 (pag-e 71, ISTew Primer).— This chart 
t'Caches the sound of a as in far. In writing- this 
letter on the hoard add the diacritical marks. 

The cry of the lamb is best imitated by the 
short sound of a. The first a in papa and tnatunia 
is sounded like the last, but is much shorter. 

Charts 51 and 52 (pag-es 75 and 76, 'New Primer) 
teach the sound of soft c. This lesson should be 
read as a dialogue. Read in this way, it will be al- 
most impossible for wide-awake children to render 
it in a stiff, unnatural manner. 

Chart 53 (page 77, New Primer).— At this stage of 
the children's progress many of them will be able 
to make out the five words " by sight" with a little 
help from the teacher: 

"Children, you have just read the word 'lion,' 
Now, one of these other words is *monse,^'' (The 
teacher makes prominent the sound of in,) "Who 
will tell me which of these is ^ inoiise' ?— Kate, you 
may point it out. Very good! and will you please 
point out the word nuntse wherever 3^ou see it on 
the chart? Thank you!— Isn't it odd, children, that 
the longest word on the chart gives the name of 
the tiny mouse? You notice that the word lion is 
not so long as the word mouse. It often happens 
thus in reading. Now, how many can point out 
the longest word on the chart— i«o?/«e?'^ (All hands 
go up.) 

Another of these words is paiv (making promi- 
nent the sound of p)\ "Look carefully, and see if 
you can tell which is the word pawJ^ 

Thus, by calling attention to the initial sounds, 
all the words may be discovered. Do not expect 



o'2 How to Teach Reading. 

the children to remember all these words; they 
may not remember the nouns even. But this little 
exercise will encourage them to believe that there 
is nothing- very difficult in the lesson, and words 
that they have read once they ^ull be apt to read 
more easily the second time, aided by the context. 



LEARNING TO WRITE. 

But little has been said about the script words 
at the bottom of the pages, but it is taken for 
granted that an hour will be set aside each day 
for a writing-lesson, when the children will copy 
these words on their slates, the teacher criticising 
and making suggestions. These exercises will not 
only get the children well started in the art of 
writing, but will help them remember the spelling 
of the words, and thus will indirectly help them in 
their reading-lessons. Before finishing the Primer 
they should be able to write a few simple sentences 
by dictation ; as, I see u cut, I see a man, etc. 



Let it not be forgotten that the child's first year 
In school is of the utmost importance ; lie is form- 
ing mental habits which, will probably follow him 
through life. See to it, then, teacher, that the little 
ones under your care shall try to do well whatever 
they undertake. And, above all, aim to have them 
self-reliant from the very outset. 



MONROE'S Hew Series of Readers. 



■<♦» 



Monroe's Readers have been for several years the leading' 
series before the public, and it is no exaggeration to say that they 
are almost unanimously acknowledged, by disinterested parties, 
to be the best series published. 

There is, however, a gro^wing demand for fresh selections and 
for more reading-matter. To meet this demand, Monroe's New 
Readers are presented to the public Avith the conviction that each, 
book in the series is as nearly perfect both in text and in adapta- 
tion to its purpose as it is possible to make it. 

This Series of Readers was prepared with special reference 
to the needs of the school-room and in constant recognition of the- 
fact that a reading-lesson may be made to serve many important 
purposes in the line of education. Each book of this series has 
work laid out for Practice in Writing and in Spelling, as well as in 
Reading, the three branches being closelj^ connected, and easily 
and naturally associated in a lesson if the child, in his school- 
life, is properly trained. 

It is assumed at the outset that the primarj- and specifle 
purpose of every reading-lesson is to teach the art of Reading, and 
the compiler of these New Readers has endeavored to present such 
subject-matter as shall tend to make the acquisition of that art by 
the pupils a work of interest and pleasure, and not a dull routine 
of drudgery. Besides, the aim of all the exercises in these Readers- 
is to awaken and to guide the thought of the pupils, so that each 
reading-lesson shall be to them infinitely more than a mere repeti- 
tion of printed phrases. 

Descriptive Circular (16 pages) explaining fully the plan of 
each book and furnishing specimens of type and illustrations- 
sent free on application. 

See Specimen Page of Monroe's Primer on page pre- 
ceding Price List. 



MONROE'S Primary Reading Charts. 



<•» 



The task of teaching and learning to read is made easyljy 
the use of these charts. 

These were the Pioneer Charts for teaching reading to 
iDeginners. They follo"w a definite plan, -which has never been 
approached by those who have attempted to imitate it. 

The Size of the Chart and the number of Charts have lately 
been increased. 

Beautifully-engraved Script Lessons have been added. 

The Charts may be used as an introduction to any series of 
reading-books. 

Full and Explicit Directions are given on the margin of the 
Oiarts, so that the most inexperienced teacher may understand 
tioTT to use them. 

It is almost impossible for the child to read the chart lessons 
In the usual humdrum style. The thoughts are so natural, and 
their expression is so easy, that thej^ almost " say themselves" in 
a sprightly, animated tone such as should alone be permitted in 
the reading of little children. 

The Charts comprise 56 numbers, 25x34 inches in size. They 
are beaiitifuUy printed on Manilla Parchment Paper (stronger 
and more durable than pasteboard), with large clear type and 
script made expressly for the purpose, and illustrated with pic- 
tures drawn -with special adaptation to the lessons. 

A Suitable Stand for displaying the Charts In any part of the 
school-room is provided, -without extra charge, -with each set of 
Charts. 

A Special Price is made to teachers or school-oflQ.cers ordering 
direct. 



Send for Descriptive Circular. 
See Specimen Chart on the next page. 




Reduced by photography to about one-fiftieth the full size of the chart. 



07 



Liongr U in you and your. 



37 



You 
You 



eye 

eye§ 

horn§ 




your 

youp 

stag 

stand 

black 

I see you, stag! 

You stand on the hilL 

• I see your horn^. 

I see your black eye@. 

Can you see me? 




37 



• p Mr ^ mtm As mmm»t •■ «>* f>a **4 iw TVw «w* «. «■ m<i < 



3T 



PARKER'S Arithmetical Charts. 



These Charts are the best Arithmetical Charts published. 

They present the latest and best methods of teaching 
beginners in Arithmetic, and ^v\^herever used M^ill render unneces- 
sary^ the ordinary text-hook in Primary Arithmetic, thus saving 
both time and expense. 

These Charts have recently been revised, and their num- 
ber has heen increased. 

Full and Explicit Directions are given on the margin of the 
Charts, so that the most inexperienced teacher may understand 
boTT to use them. 

The Figures and Type were made expressly for these Charts, 
and are so distinct and clear that they can readily he seen from 
any part of the class-room. 

We have received many testimonials from prominent edu- 
cators in favor of these Charts, but their best recommendation is 
the fact that the first edition Tras exhausted Tvithin a fe^v weeks of 
its publication. 

They have already been adopted in many of the leading 
educational centres, and the general testiraony is, " They have 
proved to be the best investment ayc have ever made for our 
schools." 

The Charts comprise 56 numbers, 25x30 inches in size. They 
are beautifully printed on Manilla Parchment Paper (stronger 
and more durable than pasteboard), with large, clear type and fig- 
ures made expressly for the purpose, and illustrated "with pictures 
and diagrams drawn Tvith special adaptation to the lessons. 

A Suitable Stand for displaying the Charts in any part of the 
school-room is provided, without extra charge, "with each set of 
Charts. 

A Special Price is made to teachers or school-ofllcers ordering 
direct. 



Send for Descriptive Circular. 
See Specimen Chart on the next page. 




Reduced by photography to about one-fiftieth the full size of the chart. 



Parker's Arithmetical Oliarts. 



• 


1 



JVUmbers and their JVames. 
A B C 



• 
• 
• 


3 



• • 
• 

• • 


5 






• • 

• • 


4 



• •• 


6 



H 



• •• 

• 

• •• 


7 



• •• 

• •• 

• •• 


9 



K 



• • 

• • 

• • 

• • 


8 



• • 

• • 

• • 

• • 

• • 


10 



^/^ J // cf 




Show a number of thlnga. write the figures that etand for the 
number Write the flgurea and have pupila show the number Show 
numbere_ of things and have pupils write figures as they recognize the 
jiimibara ahown. After each figure has been taught separately, have 



class at blackboard, show numbers of things in quiclc aucceesioo and 
have pupils write their names Pupils should draw squarea and copy 

Chart on slates At this stage pupila ahould be trained to make 

figures very welL 



This page shows the style of illustrations and type used in the New Primer. 

20 



LESSON X. 



Sound of li, and of S flat or buzzing. 



fan 



has 




an 
Fan 



the* fan 



^-^•^t^5^ 



has 

J- 

Ann 



I can see Ann, 
Ann lias a fan. 

a. 

I can see tlie fan. 
Fan me, Ann, fan me! 



^x^. 






*Teach the word the as a whole, or "By Sight." See note, page 22 



I>RICE T^IST 



OF 

COWPERTHWAIT & CO.'S 

EDUCATIONAL SERIES. 

♦ 

READING BOOKS. 

Monroe's Chart-Primer ? 12 

Monroe's First Reader 20 

Monroe's Second Reader ., 35 

Monroe's Third Reader 50 

Monroe's Fonrth Reader 60 

Monroe's Fifth Reader 90 

Monroe's Sixth Reader . . .' 1.00 

NEW SERIES. 

Monroe's New Primer . . • 15 

Monroe's New First Reader 20 

Monroe's New Second Reader 30 

Monroe's New Third Reader 42 

Monroe's New Fourth Reader 66 

Monroe's New Fiftli Reader ' • ■ . . . 84 

Monroe's Firat Reader (Leic/h-Tijpe Edition) 22 

Monroe's First Reader {Spauish-Evglish Edition) 30 

Monroe's Physical and Vocal Training 72 

Monroe's How to Teach Reading - 12 

SPELLING BOOKS. 

Monroe's First Steps in Spelling 18 

Monroe's Practical Speller 25 

Monroe's Complete Writing Speller, per doz 42 

GEOGRAPHIES. 

Warren's New Primary Geography 48 

Warren's New Common School Goography 1.08 

Warren's Physical Geography 1.35 

Warren's New Brief Course in Geography 96 

Warren's Primary Geography has Special State Editions of Pennsylvania and Dela- 
ware ; Warren's Coninion Scliool Geography and Warren's Brief Course in 
Geography have Special Editions of the New England States, New York, 
Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, and Delaware. 
4®= J;t ordering, please specify the edition wanted. 

COPY BOOKS. 

The Business Standard Copy Books. 

Primary Course, Nos. 1 to 7 per doz. 12 

Common School Course, Nos. 1 to 7 " " 9<J 

The Business-Standard Book-keeping 42 

Blank Book, to accompany The Business-Standard Book-keeping 18 



Cowperthwait & Co.'s Price List. 
GRAMMARS. 

Greene's Introduction to English Grammar $ 40 

Greene's New English (Iraiiiiiiar 75 

Greene's New Analysis of the English Language 86 

LANGUAGE SERIES. 

Powell s IIow to See 30 

Powell's IIow to See, Teacliers' Edition 42 

Powell's How to Talk 42 

Powell's IIow to Write 60 

HISTORIES. 

Goodrich's Child's United States, Revised Edition 36 

Berard's United States, Revised Edition 90 

PHYSIOLOGIES. 

Blaisdell's Child's Book of Health 30 

Blaisdell's How to Keep Well . 42 

Blaisdell's Our Bodies and IIow We Live 60 

CHEMISTRIES. 

Appleton's Young Chemist 75 

Ai)i)l('ton's Qualilative ;\nalysis 75 

Ai>pleton's Quantitative Analysis 1.25 

MATHEMATICS. 

Ilngnr's Primary Lessons in Numbers 22 

Ilagar's EU-mentary Aritlinietie 36 

Ilagar's Common School Arithmetic ... 72 

Hagar's Elementary Algebra 90 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Roysc's Manual of American Literature LOO 

Royse's Manual of English Literature 1.50 

Berard's Manual of Spanish Art and Literature 68 

Cowdery's Elementary Moral Lessons 68 

Knisely's Arithmetical Questions 30 

Buchrle's Grammatical Praxis 30 

1()(M) Subjects for English Composition 18 

Canfield's Local Government in Kansas 36 

CHARTS. 

Retad Price. 

Monroe's Reading Charts, r,6 Nos per set, 10.00 

Monroe's Vocal (Jymnastic ('harts, A4 jYos " " 10.00 

Parker's Arithmetical (Charts, 56 Nof^ " " 9.00 

The Business-Standard Writing Charts " '• 5.00 



Special Pric*«'<4 for ■iitroiluotion of any of the above Pnbli- 
eutioiis f'liriiislied on Application. 



